The >?~« c Volume 14 Summer 2004 No. 2 A Publication of the Nebraska Center for the Book
Kearney Hosts 2 004 llebraska Book Festival On Saturday, the Festival will feature sessions on n September 17 and 18, the University romance and fantasy writing, publishing and editing ofN ebraska at Kearney (UN- K) , along advice, book clubs, book reviewing, book collecting, 0 with the Nebraska Centerfor the Book ebraska authors, children's books, a panel discus and the Nebraska Humanities Council, will sion of the movie Tully, a session on creating and present the Nebraska Book Festival. binding your own books, as well as prose and poetry Other sponsors include the University of Nebraska readings. ln addition, throughout Saturday morning, Press, the Kearney Hub, the Kearney Public Library pa11icipants may bring up to three heirloom books to and Information Center, and the Nebraska Library be appraised by Carl Ashford of Omal1a's Jackson Conunission. Two full days of activities are scheduled, Street Books and may browse the displays of including a day for high school students on Friday, a ebraska author societies, librat)' and humanities reception and movie Friday evening, and a diverse organizations, book sellers, ai1d individual authors. selection of activities, presentations, workshops, and The Saturday luncheon will feature a Keynote readings throughont th P day and evening on Saturd ay Arldress hy auth or Ron Block, who won a All activities are free to the public (except meals) . Distinguished Achievement Awai·d from the Nebraska Ron Block, Gothenburg native and author of short Arts Council in 2000. Nebraska Center for the Book sto ry collections The Dirty Shame Hotel, Dismal 2004 Book Award winners "vill be announced, along River, and Prairie Volcano, will be the featured with the recipient of the Mildred Bennett Award. The speaker at the Friday festival for high school students. cost of the luncheon is $I 0 per person . Register in Block will talk about the stories and the advance by contacting Taffnee Faimon, process of wtiting, as well as answer ques
Nebraska Center for the Book Publications/Publicity issued May I, August 15, mid November I. Board and Committees Linda Trout; Committee Chair; j e:merta The advertising mid copy deadline is six Drneke; Twyla llm1son ; Mary Jo l~y:ui , stalT weeks prior to issue date. For details, Executive Committee contact Mary Jo Rym1 , ' c l mL~ka Center for Chuck Peck, President; Kathy Johnson, P
10:30-11:30 A.M. Friday, A A Different Plain Readings/Discussion, John Sep•ember I 7 Mc ally, Mary Helen Stefaniak, Timothy Schaffert A My Two Ftiends: John eihardt and Mati 9:00 A.M.- 3:15 P.M. Sandoz, Ron Hull Student Day Featuring Ron Block A Steven Lawhead and Fantasy/Science Fiction, All eve nts are at A Interpreting Movies (Honeyman/S.Umland) Rebecca Umland, Julie Flood, Justin Sevenker located at UN-K A Writing Poetry (Fott) A Book Collecting: Medieval to Modern , Joan and unless otherwise A W1iting Family Stories (Lorentzen) Rodger Bassett noted. A Writing Fantasy/Science Fiction (Emrys/R. A Writing for Kids and Young Adults, Jean and Umland) Ronald Lukesh, Laura Mc eal A Closing Session (Garrison) 12:00-1:30 P.M. 6:00-7:00 P.M. Awards Luncheon, Keynote Ron Block A Museum of Nebraska Att: Reception hosted by the University of Nebraska Press 1:45-2:45 P.M. A Att Book Display provided by the Kearney Area A Editing Regional At1thologies, Ladette Randolph, Atts Council Margie Rine, Suzanne Wise, Marge Saiser A Willa Cather, Loren Eiseley, and the 7:30-9:30 P.M. Environment, Steven Trout, Darrel Lloyd, James A Movie: Tully, Introduction by Sam Umland and M. Cook, Deborah B. Denick Tom Mc eal A Nebraska. Writers' Guild: How to Get Published, A Book and DVD Signing, Author Tom Mc eal Hugh Reilly, Jean Lukesh A Creating and Reviving Book Clubs, Cai·ol Connor, Myrna Tewes, Laureen Riedesel Saturday, Children's Stories as Alt, Susan Reiber Se p•ember 18 3:00-4:00 P.M. 8:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M . A A Different Plain Readings/Discussion , Trudy A Registration Lewis, Jonis Agee, Karen Gettert Shoemaker A Booksignings A Self-Publish or Pe1ish, Steve Buttress A Vendor Displays A Romance: The Billion Dollar Love Story, Cynthia Rutledge, Julie Miller A Create Your Own Book, Art Pierce, Shaun 10:00-11:30 A.M. AND 1:00-3:00 P.M. Padgett A Book Appraiser Carl Ashford, Jackson Street A Readings/Open Mic Books, Omalia
4:30-6:00 P.M. 9:00-10:00 A.M. A A Different Plain Readings/Discussion, Lisa Dinner and libations on your own or join a table at Sandlin , Terese Svoboda, Dan Chaon the Thunderhead Brewery A Bess Streeter Aldrich and Wright Morris: Visual Images, Martha McGahan, Teresa Lorensen , 6:00-9:30 P.M. Teliza Rodriguez A Poetry/Prose readings at the Black Sheep Coffee A An Informal Gathering of Book and Wtiting House Groups, Mel Krutz A Tully, From Book to Movie to Classroom, Tom 6:00-8:00 P.M. Invited Readings McNeal, Sam Umland, Brent Spencer, Mattha Kruse A Fo1t Kearny Alumni Reading 8:00-9:30 P.M. Open Mic
>"~" page II 11J(' llCBNews
Ok Rewliew: 'rhe 'rurlf and lfy lfotller t11TURK by Mary Helen Mary Helen Stefanjak has written a magical, funny, hinterlands of Siberia? And MY MOTHER Stef aniak, and touching novel about four generations of a that blind gypsy fiddler the W.W. Norton, 2004 Hungarian family whose lives span the globe and the grandmother adored ISBN: 0-393-059243 twentieth centu1)', from the wilds of Sibe1ia to the could he have been Uncle streets of Milwaukee. Stefaniak is a graceful and Mai·ko's father? For tlus Reviewed by compelling storyteller who draws the reader into this fairuly, tl1e truth has more Brent Spencer, family in a tale that is both comic and tragic. hairpin turns tl1an a Creighton University Family history is never clear, never plain, never mountain road. single. It's always a labyrinth of facts, drean1s, and The autl1or has taken outright lies-the story of what actually happened an interesting 1isk in balanced or opposed against the story of what could merging actual fanuly have happened. Stefaniak captures this well, inventing history with fiction. The result is a compelling narra a narrator who 's attempting to piece together the tive about the extraorrunai)' and everyday magic of fragments of family hjstory, whHe also trying to family life. At bottom, it's love ~md magic tl1at hold understand her own place in the family. At its heai1, tlus fairuly (ai1d tlus book) together. And it's magic of the book is about faillily stories and fanuly myste1ies. a ve1)' pai1icular kind-the magic of forgiveness . The Why rud Grandma Agnes run crying from the theater Turk and My Mother shows ~m author who is deeply at the sight of Omar Shaiif in a movie? Did the wise about the ways that fainily myste1ies hold us naiTator's mother have a romance with a Turkish together ai1d sometimes threaten to chive us apai1. prisoner-of-war during World War I? And what of Mai)' Helen Stef~mjak's The Turk and My Mother is a Uncle Mai·ko fanlliy legend who may or may not be rich , rewarrung novel by a writer who goes to the dead, who may or may not be traipsing through the hea11 of who we are. ...
Rewliew: With the Li11htnin11s
by David Drake, A more descriptive title might be "The Lieutemmt butler ru1d a squad of 2000 ai1d tl1e Librariai1 ," because tl1at is what tl1e sto1)' is maiines, become an Baen Books about. It has a lot of political stuff, a lot of nulitary effective teru11. ISBN: 0-6718-7881-6 adventure, almost no romai1ce, but enough action to ln 1mmy ways this keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. seems to inutate tl1e Reviewed by The hero, Lieutemmt Dai1iel Leai)', expe1iences flash Hornblower motif. But Dr. Stan Gardner, backs to ai1 argument witl1 his father (one of the in reality, it is a Science Wayne State College major political figures in tlUs book) , ru1d contem Fiction version of the plates the lustory and politics of the galaxy for the last series by Pat1ick five decades. The libra1ian, Adele Mundy, builds O'B1ien, featu1ing bookshelves, sorts old books, and has flashbacks to fictional chai·acters when her entire fanlliy was legally executed Stephen Matt11in and (inclurung her five-year-old sister) for treason to the jack Aubrey (a pai·ody of Hornblower, see Letter of state. Marque). Drake is a writer who is stai1ing to get Dru1jel , ai1 anutteur naturalist, has some inter some of tl1e attention that he so richly deserves. He esting hobbies that b1ing hjm to the libra1)', where he has written more than fifty-six novels. The sequel, Lt. meets Adele. Adele has just been lured as the Lea1J1, Commanding, was published in 2000. I librari~m , but has been given no budget, just rooms strongly recommend tlUs book to tl10se who like full of boxes of books. ln return for his help in setting space opera, have all interest in seei ng a rufferent up the libra1)', he gets the use of the libnu)' and they kind of libraiian, ai1d just wai1t a good read. become friends . The two of them , along with D~miel's ...
-'"~" page II [rrffffs.FifiliuiliTERRTURE 0 Studenu Ur9ed to Enter Leffers ·---....-Wt-----.. --·----~-- - - ·-- - - - ...... -- --- About Literature Contest
The Center for the Book in the Librat)' of national competition at1d receive cash prizes ~md Congress, in pattnership with Target Stores, invites Target gift cards. Six national winners \vill receive a readers in grades fou r through twelve to enter Letters Target gift card ;md a trip to the nation 's capitol to about Literature, a national reading-wtiting contest. read their letters during the National Book Festival in To enter, readers write a personal letter to an author, the fall. Last year, a Nebraska co ntes t~mt , Jackson explai ning how his or her work changed their view of Fisher of Lincoln, won the national top prize for Level the wo rld or themselves. Young readers cat1 select I (G rades 4-5) for his letter to Cai·I Hiaasen , author authors from ai1y genre--fiction or nonfiction, of Hool. contemporary or classic. The contest is hosted in For a copy of the official contest guidelines, plus Nebraska by the Neb raska Center for the Book, with the required en tt)' coupon, see the Nebraska Librat)' support from the Nebraska Li brat)' Commission. Commission home page,
by Barbara Hormmce ai1d murder don 't always go hat1d-in Kim Louise, ai1d Leigh Michaels. Eleven authors Rixstine, hm1d, but two recent public Ii brat)' conferences have offered comment, humor, and romai1ce writer University of managed to offer area readers and writers a little of \visdom to sixty-nine participants. First conferences ebraska-Llncoln each. always have their jittery moments, but Lee said that, Turning the Pages ofRomance , coordinated by based on comments from participants and autl10rs, it Lincoln City Libraries· Hebecca Lee, was held in was definitely a success. Lincoln in mid-April. Mayhem in the Midlands Ln Omal1a, about one hundred ai1d fifty mystery mystery conference was held in Omal1a at the end of fans came to the fifth annual Mayhem conference; May ;md coordinated by Omal1a Public Library's mai1y to hear from Guest of Honor Williatn Kent Jennifer Kirchmann. Kr·ueger and from Susan McBride, the official Despite the difference in focus , tl1e conferences Toastmistress, who joined Julia Spencer-Fleming, were alike in many ways. Attendees c;m1e to sessions Donna Andrews and thirty-one other myster)' au thors Mayhem panelists on topics such as research, character development at sessions and at the autograph table. Kirchmai111 , Barbara Rixstine ai1d themes. They talked \vitl1 authors about their who said goodbye to Mayhem responsibilities after and John Keenan, works, came in droves to the author autograph this conference, said ''This was our biggest Mayhem Omaha World tables, checked out vendor offetings, and picked up yet. " In all , more thai1 $3,000 was raised in ai1 Herald. promotional giveaway items. auction to benefit children's services at both Lincoln In Lincoln , Keynote Speaker and Omal1ai1 Victoria and Omal1a public Libnuies, she said, adding, "What Alexai1der gave the event some humorous moments. a great way to end my Mayhem career!"" .A. Otl1er authors included Pam Crooks, Kristin Gabriel , . 2 004 llational Book Festival Set for October 9
The 2004 National Book Festival, sponsored your local librar)' ai1d by accessing the more tlm1 by the Library of Congress ai1d hosted by Laura eight million items from tl1e Libra!)' of Congress's Bush, will be held on October 9, on the National Mall unstnvassecl Americai1 histor)' collections at in Washington DC to celebrate books m1d tl1e joy of
by Gtlillat1me de Libraries in the World lAubier, Jacques People who love books, who love Ubraries, and The Ubraries Bosser, James H. Billington, and who enjoy the beauty of great architecture will celebrated here ai·e /Aurel Hirsch treasure architectural photographer Guillaume de notable for their (translator) Lau bier's book, The Most Beautiful Libraries in the grai1dness and for World The book is a photographic celebration of the their prominence as Harry N. Abrams. wo rld's grandest and most historic Libraries. Included histo1ic and cultural 111 MO\I ~1"1 11n•1 LIB RA RI ES '"" nu \\\lR.lll 2003 structures. They ISBN: 0-8109-4634-3 are striking color photographs of twenty-three libraries covering national, reli gious and scholarly express the place of Ubraiies from their beginnings Libra1ies from twelve European countries and the ai1d throughout history as noted by Jacques Bosser's Reviewed by United States. accompanying text. Rod Wagner, While most notable for its photographs, the book Among the European Ubraries included ai·e: the Nebraska Library is a special treasure due to the accompanying text National Librai-y of Austria, the Benedictine Abbey Commission cont1ibuted by Jacques Bosser, journalist and trans Librai-y of Metten (Germai1y), the Vatican Librai-y, the lator, and James Billington, Libraiian of Congress. In M ~tzarine Libra1-y in Pari s, the Bodleian Libra1-y in his foreword, Billington notes the influence of the Oxford, Trinity Co ll ege Librai-y in DubUn , the National great Ubraries of Europe ai1d the Italiai1 Renaissance Libra1-y in Prague, the National Palace Librai-y in design of the Library of Congress. Billington observes, Mafra Po1tugal , the Libnu-y of Congress in "The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World takes the Washington DC, and the National Librai-y of Russia in reader into the grai1d spaces of Ubraries founded by St. Petersburg. Libraries in the United States include monarchs, monks, and academics, as well as modern the Librai-y of Co ngress, the New York PubUc Librai-y, government" attempting to define as well as house a ~md the Boston Athenaeum. .._ national culture.,.
Rewilew: Not lust Any Land: A Personal and
by john Price Literary Journey into the American Grasslands University of ebraska Press, In the first sentence of the acknowledgements Among the lowa Amish. " Ptice's insightful questions 2004 page, John P1ice states: "This is a memoir." But what and sense of humor make the book's subject highly ISBN: 0-8032-37073 follows in Not.Just Any Land is not simple autobiog accessible ai1d memorable. raphy. It is a combination of scholarly reseai·ch, self Great Plains enthusiasts, as well as those wai1ting searching, ~md the time-honored method of using to understai1d this often-overlooked region " ... where Reviewed by others' words to cla1ify his own thoughts suqJ1ises can live ai1d grow", will delight Twyla Hansen, about the region fonnerly known as in his extensive use of quotations from Poet and prai1ie, what we call the Great Plains. well-known w1iters such as Wendell Horticultmist This "memoir" is grasslai1d exploration Ben-y, Gretel Ehrlich, Wes Jackson, and ecology literanire se~ffch at its best, Williain Kittredge, Wallace Stegner, and with P1ice citing more thai1 sixty-five Ten-y Tempest Williams, to naine just a authors in his bibliography. few. Woven through the narrative in often Price traveled to South Dakota, lyrical passages is Price's own exploration Kansas, and Iowa to discover what of place, community, fa.nilly histo1-y, ~md remained of the prairie, ai1d in the an understai1ding of " . .. what it is that the process inte1viewed four writers whose lai1d demands of us in our daily Lives: the books had spoken to him of the region . nan1re of responsibility.·· These w1iters, their va1ied views, stories, Price, who grew up in no1th central ~md struggles are the subj ects of the four main chap Iowa, has wri tten ~m importai1t book about region ters of the book: "Reaching Yarak: The that will be studied, discussed, ai1d enj oyed for years Peregrinations of Dan O'B1ien," "Not Just Any Lai1d: to come. lie is ai1 Associate Professor of English at Linda llasselstrom at llome," ''Native Dr e~m1s : the University of Nebraska at Omaha. .._ Wilfoun Least-Heat Moon and Chase County, Kansas," ai1d "A Heali ng llome: Mai-y Swai1der's Recove1-y .... ~" page . NONPROFIT THE NEBRASKA do Nebraska Library Commission U.S. Postage CENTER FOR "' The Atrium PAID 1200 N Street, Suite 120 Permit No. 988 THE BOOK Lincoln, Nebraska 68508-2023 Lincoln, NE 34-00-00 an affiliate of the Librari1 of Con[tms
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